10 PlayStation Franchises I'd Like to See Revisited

The PlayStation is home to a great many awesome franchises, and since the very first PlayStation, the brand has accumulated a wealth of exclusive first-party series. Sony as a publisher is not afraid by any stretch of the imagination to take a risk on new IP, and while that is no doubt incredible and worthy of praise, there are a lot of classic franchises in the PlayStation's past that need attending to, as well. From platformer classics to arcade racers, this list of ten PlayStation franchises is full of the ones that I'd love to see Sony return to. Note: The franchises on this list are ones that Sony (for all I know) has rights to, so no Crash Bandicoot or Spyro the Dragon, for instance.

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

The idea of a PlayStation crossover akin to Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. seemed like a brilliant way to receive millions upon millions of sales. After all, if any publisher outside of Nintendo has enough big franchises to put into an all-star fighter it's Sony. However, the execution of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale left a lot to be desired from most players. The need to perform all-star moves on opponents to score points made the actual fighting seem lacking in comparison. The PlayStation brand also has a sizable amount of characters and franchises to draw from, so the character selection in the finished product didn't excite too much. With a sequel, I'd love to see a new developer at the helm, trying to better understand what makes Super Smash Bros. so successful, even if it's a blatant copy or something more akin to Power Stone, a 3D brawler.

Jak and Daxter

With this next franchise, I don't really mind if Naughty Dog doesn't have a hand in this. After all, the studio turned a lighthearted 3D platforming series into a gritty, tryhard platforming series, so I don't really have as much trust in them as other fans do. In a perfect world, Jak and Daxter would receive the same type of reboot treatment as Ratchet & Clank's upcoming film and game releasing in April. The PlayStation brand already has a third-person shooter/platformer hybrid, so why follow the Jak II route? Instead, a new developer could put their spin on the 3D platformer with colorful worlds, characters who aren't eye-rolling-ly extreme and gritty like Jak II and on, the same humor the series is known for, and huge worlds to explore. Less like Jak II, Jak III, and The Lost Frontier, and more like the original Jak and Daxter.

Wipeout

Nintendo's F-Zero is on indefinite hiatus, and has been for over a decade now. Now, Sony's Wipeout has also careened off course and is in hibernation as well. While there have been similar futuristic racing games from indie developers, nothing comes close for the PlayStation brand than the lightning fast, weapons-filled fun of the Wipeout series. The original developer of the series is no more, but hopefully that doesn't mean that no other developer is able to take control of this blistering fast racing franchise. Just imagine how astonishing a PlayStation 4 Wipeout title would look. The series was already amazing to look at and play on the PS3 and Vita, but can you possibly fathom how the upgrade to the PS4 would be? Make it so, Sony!

Sly Cooper

The last time we visited the world of Sly Cooper it was on the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation Vita with Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. That game ended on a cliffhanger, and I'd definitely like to see the conclusion to it. Much like Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper and his merry band of thieves are receiving their own full feature film, though with a much altered art style. Whether the cliffhanger from Thieves in Time will be resolved or not is unknown. It does make sense for a game tie-in to release around the time of the movie, again like Ratchet & Clank. Whatever happens, Sly Cooper deserves another chance to shine, and the PlayStation 4 can never have too many 3D platformers, a genre sorely lacking in gaming these days.

Ape Escape

Ape Escape was a cult classic series on the original PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PSP. On the PS3 it received a PS Move-enabled title that was more of tease of what could have been than a real game that fans of the franchise wanted. Ape Escape as a series generally has players roaming around levels, searching for monkeys, and using a variety of tactics to catch them, whether stealthily sneaking up behind them or chasing them down and nabbing them with a net. After a decade of waiting for a successor to the series, Ape Escape fans like myself are chomping at the bit for a new sequel that plays like the traditional games. Until then, I guess we can just catch monkeys in gorgeous HD in our dreams.

MediEvil

Like some franchises on this list, Sony hasn't completely forgotten about these games, as Sir Daniel Fortesque, leading skeleton in the MediEvil franchise, had an appearance in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. However, since his last starring role in 2005 in the re-imagining of the original game for the PSP, MediEvil: Resurrection, Sir Daniel hasn't had much to get excited about, nor his fans. MediEvil might have been resurrected on the PSP, but since then, the series has stayed dead and buried. The series was known for its quirky humor, ghastly enemies, clever puzzles, and hack-and-slash combat. It'd be quite the treat to see Sony revive this classic PlayStation series, as it was one of the first that allowed the PlayStation brand to make its mark on gaming.

ModNation Racers

Essentially combining the intense arcade racing action of the Mario Kart series with the customization and creation aspects of the LittleBigPlanet series, ModNation Racers allowed players to craft their own racers, vehicles, and tracks. While the tools aren't as sophisticated or as convoluted as LittleBigPlanet's, ModNation Racers did offer a multitude of creative tools to let players make some truly wondrous creations. The actual racing was top notch and balanced, not having the same item spam that more recent Mario Karts have been known for. Sony's great selling console is in desperate need of an excellent cartoon-y mascot racer, and ModNation Racers is the perfect series to take the checkered flag.

Resistance

I'm one of those outsiders who considers Resistance to be Sony's superior first-person shooter, over Killzone. While journalists and bloggers were quick to label Killzone as the Halo-killer and whatnot, Insomniac's Resistance series gave me more enjoyment than before, something I'm obviously in the minority on. Regardless, the lore of the Resistance series, its level design, and even its multiplayer enthused me more with each entry, save for the Vita versions of both Resistance and Killzone, which was the only time I thought Killzone was easily the better of the two games at the time (to be fair, Killzone: Mercenary IS one of my favorite FPS of all time). I'd love for either Insomniac or another developer in Sony's control to give Resistance another chance. This might be a fool's wish, however, as both Resistance 3 and the Vita's Burning Skies did little sales-wise to give much in the way of encouragement.

Puppeteer 

This PS3 game had the misfortune of releasing during the same time period as the PS4's launch, making it grossly overlooked by pretty much everyone but a small few. Those of us who got to play Puppeteer found a charming, spirited platforming adventure that played out like a theatre production. Sure, the story oftentimes got in the way of the gameplay, but that's always something that could be fixed with a sequel. Heck, I'd even be satisfied with a remaster, giving this under-appreciated PS3 game a second chance in the sun. Whatever the case may be as to how Puppeteer is once again put on PlayStation, I hope it's given some attention this time around.

Wild Arms

This final PlayStation franchise pick that hasn't seen the light of day in a while is a science-fiction RPG series that takes place in the Wild West, Wild Arms. The signature ARMs are powerful weapons that carry a stigma to them, reminding the people of Filgaia of mysterious and ancient technology of war. Wild Arms has since seen six entries since its debut in 1996. The most recent entry is the PlayStation Portable Wild Arms XF, which was an atypical game in the series, being a tactical RPG rather than a turn-based one. It would be wonderful to see Wild Arms return to the PlayStation with a new title. The combination of sci-fi and the Wild West is a clever one, and it would further boost the PS4's increasing lineup of JRPGs.

Top Ten New Sony IPs from the Past Decade

While many publishers rest on their laurels or play it safe with their preexisting properties, Sony should get a ton of credit for not showing much fear in creating a constant stream of new franchises. It's unbelievable that they're so gung ho about them especially while the world is in its current economic situation and how much of a gamble fresh franchises really are. Whether it's God of War, Ratchet & Clank, or LittleBigPlanet, Sony's internal studios have crafted some of the finest new IPs of the last decade. This list is what I perceive to be Sony's ten best new series from the year 2002 to now. I don't expect you to agree with the order, but these ten franchises showcase Sony's greatest ideas of the past decade. Let's get to the top ten.

10) Killzone

Killzone debuted on the PlayStation 2 in 2004.  The series mostly consists of first-person shooters, but one third-person shooter in the PSP iteration, Killzone: Liberation, occurred. Guerrilla Games is currently in the midst of development for the franchise's Vita offering, Killzone: Mercenary. Killzone takes players in the middle of a war between the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance (or ISA) and the Helghast army. Sony originally marketed Killzone as "a Halo killer." This didn't work out as planned with the first game of the series looking poorly graphically and possessing a bevy of troublesome glitches. Then the sequel on the PS3 got infamous notoriety for having a showing at an E3 press conference with what would later be revealed to be target renders and not actual gameplay, though Sony shamelessly argued against that on a consistent basis. Regardless, the game was a dramatic improvement over its predecessor, and it remains my favorite of the four current releases in the series.

9) LocoRoco

Representing my favorite genre, the platformer, in a different light, LocoRoco jumped onto the worldwide scene and PSP device in 2006. The series comes from the mind of Tsutomu Kouno, a developer who was involved with Ico. In the game, players don't move the main character, a LocoRoco blob, in a traditional sense (except for jumping). Instead, players are actually tilting the environment in which the character rests, similar to say, Super Monkey Ball, but in a 2D setting. This is performed by utilizing the PSP's two shoulder buttons. Through gathering berries hidden around the game's plentiful amount of levels, the LocoRoco can grow in size. With a face button, the amalgamation of LocoRoco can be split up into tinier forms to fit through small spaces. The goal of the game is to complete levels in a fast and efficient manner while avoiding perils like spikes, pits, and the sinister Moja group of enemies. What results is a platformer unlike anything you've ever experienced. It's colorful, it's clever, it's charming, and it's a series that, like Killzone, has seen four installments currently on the market.

8) Resistance

The other first-person shooter franchise on this list comes from the minds of Insomniac Games. For the PlayStation 3 launch they had a game concerning an alternate history where an alien race known as the Chimera have started an assault on the planet, Resistance: Fall of Man, which earned high praise. As one of the remaining human survivors left, you join the resistance against the Chimeran forces as the ensuing fight grows fiercer and bleaker by the hour. I enjoyed the Resistance franchise more than Killzone, and I'll explain why real quick. I enjoyed the lore behind the game and narrative, level design, multiplayer, local cooperative abilities, and particularly the weaponry more than Guerrilla Games' efforts. The weaponry, in general, harks back to Insomniac's Ratchet & Clank franchise in creativity, a franchise that we'll be discussing later on down the road on this very list. There was a perfect mix of realistic firepower and off-the-wall futuristic weaponry that was never before seen in a first-person shooter before. Like Killzone, Resistance also had a portable offering that was a third-person shooter, Resistance: Retribution. The series is currently on hiatus, but I would love to see the minds behind Spyro the Dragon and Ratchet the Lombax try their hand again at crafting another stellar shooter and addition to this sci-fi franchise.

7) inFamous

Sucker Punch had a reputation on the PlayStation 2 for creating the Sly Cooper platformer series of games. They took their know-how of making such games and implemented it into inFamous, an open world action-adventure platformer series spanning three games, one of which being non-canonical. Players assume the role of Cole MacGrath, a young man with gifted electrical superpowers, which he can choose to use for the benefit or detriment to mankind. Through completing different missions in different ways, Cole can earn Karma to have his abilities and appearance change. inFamous is quite unlike most open world games as Cole does not enter vehicles to get around Empire City and then in the second game, New Marais. Instead, he can scale buildings, grind across electrical lines, and even use his powers of electricity to slowly hover in the air. These games generally demand to be played through twice just to see both good and evil endings. They're also fun enough to warrant such a demand. While inFamous as a franchise is really fun, it doesn't hold a spark next to Sucker Punch's first series...

6) Sly Cooper

What a perfect segue! Here is Sucker Punch's first creation, the Sly Cooper series. As stated, this series built the main elements for their inFamous franchise. The game has players platforming as one of the members of Sly Cooper's gang. There's Sly Cooper himself, Bentley, a turtle who is not only a master of gadgets but is the brains behind most of the heists, and Murray, the muscle of the group. Sly's gameplay has him making his way through levels. His focus is on stealth rather than pure brawn, for alerting guards and alarms is generally a recipe for failure. Sly is not proud, he doesn't mind attacking foes from behind to defeat them. There are plenty of places Sly can use for stealth and to platform on, which are shown clearly by having an azure glow. Such places include ledges that Sly can sidestep upon, pipes to scale, tight ropes to balance on, and pointy spots that can be perched on. Each game is built on a series of heists that Sly and the gang plan out. They are divided between numerous missions involving platforming challenges or mini-games. I prefer the first Sly Cooper game to the rest because the rest relied on an open world setting for the missions instead of the original game which used a typical hub connecting each level. Regardless, the fun of seeing the fruits of Sly and the gang's labors go off without a hitch and with a successful heist makes for a platforming series that is remarkable. I eagerly await Thieves in Time, despite it not being done by Sucker Punch themselves.

5) Shadow of the Colossus

Before Team Ico made projects in development hell, they actually made games like the superb Ico and this title of tremendous influence, Shadow of the Colossus (both of which are available in one single HD collection on the PlayStation 3). What do you really call the game, though? It has no towns or NPCs to speak of, and the only enemies the player are battling are the titular colossi. It becomes more of a puzzle than anything else. Figuring out how to reach each of the sixteen colossi, and then trying to think up a way to find and exploit their weakness(es) makes for an intriguing game. The world that Wander, the main character, explores is a sprawling series of environments ripe for traversal. Speaking of which, the music is also a notable part of the rich ambiance of the game, featuring work by Ko Otani. You might recognize some of his work from anime series like Gundam Wing and Outlaw Star, to name a couple. Regardless, the sensational symphonic orchestral soundtrack sweeps in and preys upon your emotions, much like the game it accompanies. What all these elements add up to make is one unforgettable PlayStation 2 classic, and a real reason why fans are so understanding in allowing The Last Guardian to be in development for so, so long.

4) Uncharted

Another stellar series from the fine folks at Naughty Dog, Uncharted is essentially a modern day interactive Indiana Jones with more wisecracks from the main character in Nathan Drake. The franchise consists of two main elements: third-person shooting and platforming, with some puzzles thrown in along the way to keep players' minds sharp. The fun in the series is seeing and hearing just Drake will manage to survive yet another improbable situation while giving direct commentary on just how absurd his situation is. The character comes off as very human, despite the very much superhuman things he does and endurance he has. Though the game pits players through mostly linear paths to slay enemies, traverse environments, and participate in set piece after glorious set piece, Uncharted as a series may come across as by-the-numbers, but it's one that makes for some solid entertainment. The multiplayer adds to the experience, giving players an enjoyable ride, much like the excellent single-player campaigns each of the four entries contain. If you're looking for the closest thing to summer blockbuster movie entertainment (whether you think that games should try to emulate as close to Hollywood as possible or not), then Uncharted is the series for you.

3) God of War 

The main character may be incredibly unlikable (in fact, a jerk in desperate need of anger management), but even with this caveat, the God of War series is especially well liked almost universally by the gaming community. Now, you can complain about there being six titles for the series in less than six years, but when they are mostly of high quality, does it really matter? The series revolves around Kratos as he hacks and slashes his way through armies of mythological creatures and gods. The game has players venturing through various locales such as The Temple of Pandora and Hades as they defeat bosses and other enemies, solve puzzles, and find treasure. There is no backtracking in these games for the most part, and camera control is minimal. The worry-free camera utilized in these games are completely fully functional and work well. The fighting focuses heavily on combo-based combat mostly using Kratos's blades attached by chains to his arms to strike foes and unleash unholy hell. Between the ingenious level design, smart puzzles, intense confrontations between lowly baddies and bosses alike, presentation, dramatic story, and visuals make for a franchise that is indeed as mythical as the God of War himself.

2) Ratchet & Clank

I'm going to admit something that longtime readers of SPC are already well versed in - I am a huge fan of platformers. (You don't even need to be well versed as I said as much in the LocoRoco part of this list.) That said, there is only one platforming series that has rivaled Ratchet & Clank for me in the past ten years, and that is the legendary and magical Mario franchise (which I would place higher than Ratchet thanks to Super Mario Galaxy and New Super Mario Bros. Wii alone). Regardless, this franchise which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year introduced so many novel ideas to the formula. The original Ratchet & Clank distanced itself from the common collect-a-thon mindset of typical 3D platformers through advancing the story upon various different planets, acquiring new, exotic weapons and gadgetry. The second game, Going Commando, introduced an RPG-like leveling up systems for weaponry that as the player uses them more, they grow in power. Up Your Arsenal added online play for intense multiplayer matches. Deadlocked was a drastic departure, giving players a gladiator-like experience, and the Future trilogy put Ratchet and Clank in gorgeous, jaw-dropping HD. While All 4 One was decidedly disappointing, the recently released Ratchet & Clank Collection allows the original three Ratchet games to be played with trophy support in full high-definition. A wonderful way to play this wonderful series, for sure. Now newcomers to the series can see why Ratchet & Clank is so well regarded by not only me, but a legion of fans.

1) LittleBigPlanet

The ability to create levels is nothing new, and online creator communities have been popular on the PC for years, but it was rare seeing such a brilliant display of creator tools that were as simple to use and fun to use than with LittleBigPlanet. The ease of sharing created levels and objects made for a compelling community full of creative and charming ideas. Players begin their journey through the land of yarn, cloth, and other household objects and make their own Sackboy (or to be politically correct, Sackgirl), and use a preexisting amount of clothing, accessories, and facial and body options to make their own unique creation. Through collecting hidden and out-of-the-way Prize Bubbles in the game's already manufactured levels (also a great way to learn how to make your own lovely levels, aside from the Stephen Fry-voiced tutorials), players unlocked new costume parts and level features in the form of materials and objects to play around with. Even if you lack the sheer ability to create anything that resembles something capable, you can play around with the tools given to you, and play the ideas of other LittleBigPlanet owners. I highly anticipate the PlayStation Vita version, a game that would make me purchase the portable if I had the money, and if the Wii U weren't coming. LittleBigPlanet isn't just one of Sony's most marvelous new IPs of the last decade, it's simply one of the best new IPs in ages.

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I assume many of you will disagree with the order of these Sony IPs of the past ten years, but I hope you will agree that these are the best of the best. What PlayStation franchises are your favorite?

PS3 Games That I'd Like to See Get A Trophy Patch (Which Probably Won't)

Like Uncharted: Drake's Fortune before it, recently Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots received a long-awaited patch, enabling trophies for prospective collectors to obtain. That sparked an interest in me to see what other games in the PlayStation 3 library that came out before Sony and third-parties' implementation of the trophy system. These five following games are ones that I would no doubt be interested in playing through again if such a trophy patch were to be included, though the likelihood is not that high.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

One of my favorite entries in the Ratchet & Clank franchise is Tools of Destruction, the game that brought the furry lombax and wise-cracking robot into high-definition for the first time. I would think a trophy patch for the PS3's first Ratchet & Clank game would be a perfect thing to have for the series's 10th anniversary this year (in addition to the Ratchet & Clank trilogy re-releasing on one Blu-ray disc later this year for North America -- it's already out in PAL territories). Such achievable trophies could have possessing one million bolts at one time, building the R.Y.N.O. IV through obtaining all of the Gadgetron Holo-Plans, nabbing all of the hidden Golden Bolts, trophies for completing five skill points, ten skill points, fifteen skill points, and so forth, and for upgrading all weapons fully. I already love Tools of Destruction, and such a patch would make me fall in love with the title all over again.

Resistance: Fall of Man

Using its love for creating off-the-wall and high-powered weaponry such as seen in the aforementioned Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Insomniac Games made a first-person shooter with traditional 1950s firepower as well as a totally original and futuristic arsenal for players to utilize. Resistance: Fall of Man takes players through an alternate history where an alien race known as the Chimera have taken over large portions of the earth, exterminating a significant portion of humanity, and the remaining humans band together to form one last resistance to save mankind. If a trophy patch were implemented into Resistance, I would want the trophies to all be ones that can be obtained via single-player. The problem I have with multiplayer ones is twofold: 1) If the community isn't active or populated, it can make finding matches challenging, and 2) If the wrong type of trophies were in multiplayer, most players would go out of their way to obtain them instead of actively assisting their teammates; they'd be playing selfishly.

Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds

While not my favorite Hot Shots Golf game in the series for the main reason that the amount of courses from the fourth installment to the fifth installment decreased pretty notably, Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds (known as Minna no Golf 5 in Japan and Everybody's Golf 5 in PAL areas) carried out a brand-new swinging mechanic, brought forth six original courses, and added a story mode where players competed in tournaments and in VS. matches against computer-controlled opponents. PlayStation Move accessibility was added in Japan last year and in other territories this year, but there was no trophy patch that went with it. That's a shame as World Invitational proved, Hot Shots Golf fans find extra incentive to master a game through not only online but through obtaining trophies. Such trophies that could be earned include reaching certain ranks in story mode, achieving special shots like hole-in-ones, albatrosses, and chip-ins, playing on the individual courses a certain number of times, unlocking all Intermediate and then Advanced characters, and other fun achievements.

Heavenly Sword

Often compared to one of Sony's other action-oriented properties, God of War, Heavenly Sword has gameplay that has both a melee attack and ranged attack focus. It stars Nariko, an incredibly capable red-haired vixen full of drive and ambition, wielding the all-powerful titular Heavenly Sword. Nariko can switch between a series of three different stances to unleash holy hell on foes: Speed, Range, and Power. The actual campaign of Heavenly Sword does not drag on for too long. That was one of my complaints with the game. However, the addition of trophies (despite this series being on the back-burner) would make the title all the more appealing and add some much needed replay value. Sniping a certain amount of enemies as Kai, relinquishing a specific number of foes in each of Nariko's three stances, obtaining a given amount of glyphs, and beating bosses without damage could make for intriguing new ways to play an old game.

Saints Row 2

It seemed like a reasonable idea (not quite a sure thing) that third-parties would take games that already had achievements on the Xbox 360 and just turn them into trophies for the PlayStation 3 version. This did not happen most of the time.. Instead, Saints Row 2 came out shortly after Sony implemented trophies for most of their games. However, trophy use was only mandatory as of the beginning of 2009. (Saints Row 2 released in October of 2008, after trophies materialized, but before they were a must-have feature.) Regardless, I can't imagine if it would have been relatively easy to just create a trophy list based off the Xbox 360 achievement list for the PS3 version of Saints Row 2 as I am not a developer. I don't see how it would have been too terribly tough. Even the Greatest Hits release could have been a prime opportunity to execute such a patch.

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Those are just five examples of games released prior to Sony's trophy system being required for developers to use. Like the article title says, the hope for these games to actually get such a patch is a long shot, but that doesn't mean I can't dream. After all, Metal Gear Solid 4 seemed to be a long shot, too, and a trophy patch finally happened. Who can really say what will happen in the future? As for now, what PS3 games would you like to see get trophies, or get added trophies to collect upon the ones you already have to work on? Speak out in the comments section below.

Resistance: Burning Skies (PSV) New Trailer

The Resistance franchise might be out of Insomniac's hands, but that isn't stopping Sony from allowing the series to thrive on their PlayStation Vita. This trailer tells the tale of the game as well as sports some low framerate-filled action of the game. Resistance: Burning Skies is gunning for a May 29th release date in North America.

Direct link

Top Ten Brand-New IPs of This Generation

Yes, I know the generation isn't over, but I don't think I'm alone in thinking it has overstayed its welcome. And yes, I know there's still new IPs still being created like Dragon's Dogma and Asura's Wrath. That notwithstanding (some people will whine about anything, seriously), new IPs are so often just the same game we've seen before with a different name. Not so with these ten new franchises. They are the best of many series given birth in this seventh generation of game consoles.

10) Assassin's Creed


Play in the role of either Altair or Ezlo in this third-person open world series. Oftentimes focusing on stealth, Assassin's Creed uses a structure much like other sandbox games where you take on missions such as sneaking through a castle or accomplishing an assassination of a public figure. The city is yours to scale with virtually everything being able to be climbed. Being an assassin is hard work, and sneaking and killing is just a sample of the activities available in the city. You can make a leap of faith into a haystack, scan the city from atop a high perch, discover hidden treasure all around, manufacturing an abundance of fellow assassins to claim a brotherhood, and even invest in some real estate to rebuild ruined parts of the city. Following the company's long line of reputable franchises such as Rayman, Splinter Cell, and Ghost Recon, Ubisoft climbs high with the Assassin's Creed franchise. Here's hoping yearly sequels won't fatigue players.

9) inFamous


Crafted by the fine folks behind the awesome Sly Cooper series, Sucker Punch lands a knockout with their inFamous IP. The three games (inFamous, inFamous 2, and inFamous: Festival of Blood) star superhero Cole MacGrath who holds the power of controlling electricity. Think Spider-man's Electro but without the tights. By performing feats of either heroics or villainy, Cole steps forward down a path that he cannot turn back from. Depending on your path your powers and appearance change, the citizens of the city react differently to you, and the game's ending alters. There's nothing like grinding on a power line, slowly floating down to the ground below while shooting off lightning bolts at unwitting foes. The PSN game, Festival of Blood, was the top-downloaded game of 2011, and it came out in October. That says something to the power of the inFamous franchise.

8) No More Heroes


Suda 51 may not be a household name, but he has dabbled in off-the-wall, zany games before with something you may or may not have heard before. It's a little game called Killer7. Regardless, Suda 51 moved on to a new series called No More Heroes. Starring an eccentric otaku with his own beam katana named Travis Touchdown, all Travis wants to do is make it to the number one spot on the UAA (United Assassins Association) rankings. How does he accomplish this? Simply by killing all ten of the assassins that rank above him. The original game featured a sandbox-style open world, a city called Santa Destroy. The Wii-exclusive sequel got rid of this and opted for a menu-like system of choosing destinations and automatically being transported to them. The process was streamlined. Suda 51 expressed an interest in continuing the series on Nintendo's next console, currently known as the Wii U. With as wacky and wild as the action of the original two games, I'm excited to see where Suda takes the franchise next.

7) ModNation Racers


Sony took a lot of chances this gen. Of course, five hundred and ninety nine dollars will always be the one that kicks them in the ass the most, but there's something to be said about creating the most new IPs out of the competition this generation. ModNation Racers is but one of many new Sony-published franchises. Everything was yours to build: tracks, karts, and yes, even your Mod or avatar. Unlike a popular kart racer starring a portly plumber, the item balance was even, offering a proper array of varied items without being overly cheap. The developer-made tracks gave players ideas to create their own masterpieces to share with friends and the world at large, the story mode was entertaining, and the leeway given to you to craft your own creations was immense. The only thing holding the game back was technical issues like long loading times and framerate problems. Regardless, this racing franchise has potential, and it is a shame that more people aren't taking notice.

6) Resistance


Resistance isn't futile in this case. For some, they might consider this franchise essential. Armed with incredibly creative weaponry, epic (I hate to write that overused word as the Internet made it meaningless) set pieces, big, sensational battles with the Chimera horde, and breathtaking graphics make this series a wonderful one. Many agree that the second installment is the weakest, but I found the large-scaled online encounters to be incredible, the co-op play with up to six friends or total strangers to be awesome, and the story mode to have many memorable moments. That notwithstanding, I'd go as far to say that there is no stinker in the bunch of four Resistance titles (Resistance 1-3 and Retribution). The upcoming May release of Burning Skies on Vita will most likely show developers how a true FPS is supposed to play on Sony's powerful portable.

5) Mass Effect


Set in the great unknown, outer space, Mass Effect is an ultra-popular, bestselling series that has appeared on Microsoft's Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, and the PC. Players take on the role of Commander Shepard as he strives to continue the galaxy's era of peace. However, a Reaper menace threatens to destroy this and Shepard is flung into a space-wide battle to restore law and order to the universe. BioWare might not have the best reputation as of late (here's to you, Dragon Age 2 and your massive amounts of glitches, bugs, and bad gameplay), but there's no denying that their influence put Mass Effect on the intergalactic map. With a compelling story (at least for video game standards), a massive galaxy to explore, and gorgeous visuals, Mass Effect continues to astound and amaze. The upcoming third installment is set to end the trilogy later in March. Here's hoping it's more like the first two Mass Effects and less like Dragon Age 2.

4) Saints Row


The original Saints Row was a competent GTA clone. By Saints Row 2, Volition doubled the quality of their series, adding interesting missions, an intriguing setting in Stilwater, and multiple missions that remember solely that games are supposed to be fun and not have realism be in the game for realism's sake. Yeah, that was a problem with the vanilla version of Grand Theft Auto IV. Then Saints Row: The Third released, and it took an already crazy world and made it even more insane. Bashing baddies with sex toys, surfing on corpses, free-falling from an airplane while inside a tank, streaking in front of Steelport's denizens for mad money, commandeering vehicles such as muscle cars, tanks, and futuristic VTOLs, getting purposefully ran over by cars and trucks for insurance fraud reasons, escorting call girls to a safe location, away from their abusive pimps, and entering a Tron-inspired virtual reality setting to defeat a gang leader were just some of the wacky things players could do in Saints Row: The Third. I'd claim that Saints Row has now out-GTA'd GTA. We'll see if Rockstar antes up and delivers like they used to in their Vice City and San Andreas with Grand Theft Auto V. Here's wishful thinking at the very least!

3) Wii ____


Some would argue that the Wii ____ franchise isn't a franchise. These people would do anything to argue that Nintendo never develops new IPs even though Rhythm Heaven, Nintendogs, Brain Age, Pushmo, Sakura Samurai, Electroplankton, and many more disagree with them. Apparently if it's not an AAA budget it doesn't count. Anyway... the Wii series is one of the most successful ones of the generation with over 190 millions units sold. This includes Wii Sports (to be fair, it was packaged with the Wii in North America and Europe), Wii Sports Resort (bundled with the Wii MotionPlus accessory) Wii Fit, Wii Party, and Wii Play (which was bundled with a Wii remote). Each game utilizes Nintendo's creation, Miis, in them. Wii Sports alone introduced millions of non-gamers to the industry, and some have even gone on to become full-fledged gamers as evident by the attach rate of the Wii. It's a mystery to everyone whether Nintendo can recapture that ever-fickle casual audience with the Wii U or if Microsoft has them ensnared via Kinect.

2) Uncharted


Naughty Dog created an Indiana Jones-esque character with the smart-mouthed Nathan Drake and crafted an intriguing series of adventures with the Uncharted brand. Taking players from steamy jungles to arctic wastelands, Uncharted is a globe-trotter's wet dream. Of course, most globe-trotters would probably want to actually visit these places for themselves, but if they're lacking the funds, these virtual tours are always nice too. Drake is your typical Caucasian lead-- good-looking, smart, well-read, able to kill armies of enemies with perfect precision via weapons like guns and grenades, and capable of climbing and leaping with death-defying jumps of faith. ...Okay, maybe he's not that typical after all. Regardless, Naughty Dog, for better or worse, is focusing more on making games that resemble interactive movies rather than having games just be games. Whatever side of the argument you are on, it's hard to deny just how amazing the Uncharted line of titles truly is.

1) LittleBigPlanet


Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet is cute, is charming, and is a joy to play. The aesthetics of having a world built of cardboard, foam, and other craft materials make for a visual sensation that other games could only hope to achieve. The mantra of the series is "Play, Create, and Share", and you can do all of that effortlessly. Every thing is yours to build. From customizing your Sackboy (or Sackgirl. Right, ladies?) with outfits found via prize bubbles in levels to making a veritable level of platforming peril, LittleBigPlanet is your personal playground. The only real limitation is your imagination. Some craw at the floaty physics. So they aren't tight like Mario. So what? I'd hate it if every platformer aimed to be Mario. Where would the variety be? Well, the answer currently is in the world and franchise of LittleBigPlanet. Even if you lack a creative bone in your body you can venture into the worlds of other creators and enjoy their takes on what good levels are. My favorite new franchise of this generation and my favorite series on the PlayStation 3, LittleBigPlanet is a terrific toolkit for players to jump in to.

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Half of the entries on this list are from Sony-owned studios. Isn't that something? My time to shine is over, so now it's your turn! What new franchises of this generation do like the best? Hit me up with a comment below and join the conversation!